“The truth of the matter about Ricardo is that when he joined the club at the start of the season he had not been playing at high intensity for a while and so his fitness wasn’t up to scratch," says a source.

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"He had a bit of a groin discomfort after a few games but played on due to the fact that he was at the new club. Having been thrown into the deep end the groin eventually gave in. The best part about his recovery now is that the club is taking great care of him to make sure that he is completely healed by the time he returns. He is likely not to play in the rest of the Champions’ League group stage matches."

The Brazilian has been key at the back for Sundowns since arriving, playing regularly as a central defender.